Simple CSS vs Simple Custom CSS (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Custom CSS Plugins top 10: Simple CSS at #7 and Simple Custom CSS at #9. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Simple CSS
Add CSS to your website through an admin editor, the Customizer or a metabox for page/post specific CSS.
Simple Custom CSS
Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Add Custom CSS to your WordPress site without any hassles.
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Simple CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Simple Custom CSS has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Simple CSS is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 60 reviews, against 4.7 from 159 reviews.
Simple Custom CSS has more reviews behind its score: 159 against 60.
Simple CSS was updated more recently, on September 15, 2025; Simple Custom CSS on March 11, 2025.
Simple Custom CSS was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 8,057 times against 1,927.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Simple CSS
Pick Simple CSS if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Custom CSS
Pick Simple Custom CSS if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple CSS vs Simple Custom CSS side by side
| Simple CSS | Simple Custom CSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom CSS Plugins ranking | #7 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 60 | 159 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 566,067 | 3,125,709 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 1,927 | 8,057 |
| Last updated | Sep 15, 2025 | Mar 11, 2025 |
| First published | Nov 21, 2015 | Aug 6, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.8.11 | 6.7.10 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple CSS ratings
Simple Custom CSS ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Simple CSS nor Simple Custom CSS can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom CSS Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple CSS vs Simple Custom CSS: common questions
Is Simple CSS better than Simple Custom CSS?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple CSS or Simple Custom CSS?
Simple CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple CSS or Simple Custom CSS?
Simple Custom CSS has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Are Simple CSS and Simple Custom CSS free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Custom CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple CSS and Simple Custom CSS
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.